Ho Chi Minh City Offers Vocational Training to Ethnic Minorities

A 2016-2020 scheme to offer vocational training to ethnic minorities in Ho Chi Minh City, the first of its kind, was launched on December 23, by the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the municipal Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs. Nearly 12,000 local ethnic people are expected to benefit from the project. Pham Van Cong, deputy head of vocational training office from the municipal department, said the project will help with vocational training for nearly 20% of working-age ethnic people and introducing jobs to around 80% of them after training, towards improving their income and sustainably reducing poverty. Each person qualified for the project will receive a maximum of VND3 million for training fees while the disabled are eligible for VND6 million per course. All trainees will be provided with meal and travelling subsidies. Ho Chi Minh City is home to more than 462,000 persons of 51 ethnic groups, accounting for 6.4% of the city’s population. Of the ethnic population, more than 280,000 people are in working age, 72% of them are unskilled workers. (vietnamplus.vn Dec 23)